Syracuse posts season-worst 3-point day as Autry tenure crumbles further
Naithan George finished 0-for-5 from 3-point range, as Syracuse went a season-worst 3-for-17 against North Carolina Saturday. Zoe Xixis | Asst. Photo Editor
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Syracuse is far from a prolific 3-point shooting team. But even in their toughest contests, the Orange have at least hit some shots.
Against Houston, SU made eight 3s to force overtime. Versus Duke a few days ago, the Orange reached double digits from beyond the arc for the sixth time this season. But Saturday, even as North Carolina played without its best player, SU found a new way to embarrass itself on national television.
In Syracuse’s (15-13, 6-9 Atlantic Coast) 77-64 loss to No. 16 UNC (21-6, 9-5 Atlantic Coast), the Orange shot a season-worst 3-for-17 from beyond the arc. The 17.6% mark featured just one 3-pointer in the first half and two in the final four minutes, with SU already trailing by double digits.
“If you don’t make 3s, it’s gonna be tough to win against a good North Carolina team,” Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said postgame. “I thought that was the difference in the game.”
After its second loss to UNC, SU is now 16th in the ACC and 233rd in the country at 33.0% from 3. The Orange combined to shoot 27-of-82 (32.9%) in their three previous games. An average of 27.3 3-point attempts per game was a far cry from Syracuse’s strategy against the Tar Heels. SU attempted only four in the first 10 minutes.
North Carolina entered allowing a 34.4% clip, the 204th-best mark in the country. Nothing special. Nothing a competent, high-powered shooting team couldn’t beat. Yet the Orange found little success early on as their first seven couldn’t find nylon.
SU has struggled before from deep, particularly against Miami on Jan. 24, when sharpshooters Tyler Betsey and Nate Kingz attempted only six shots and made two from beyond the arc. In that game, Jai Lucas’s group top-blocked the Orange’s top shooters to push them off the line.
Kingz, who made zero 3-pointers Saturday for just the third time all season, said UNC played a similar style. Syracuse attempted to get open looks early in the contests but failed to do so.
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis added he felt it was different parts of his squad’s game that hampered the Orange from deep. In transition, the Tar Heels pushed the pace to rim run, in turn putting Kingz in early foul trouble. As Kingz sat on the bench, UNC didn’t have too much to worry about.
“They’ve got some guys that can get really hot from 3, so it was important for us to stick with them,” Davis said.
Kingz said UNC played a similar style in the first matchup on Feb. 2, where Syracuse made 6-of-18 shots from 3 and fell by 10 despite trailing by 32 at one point. Guards like Seth Trimble and Derek Dixon wouldn’t allow Kingz and others to slide over screens easily.
SU guard J.J. Starling, who dropped a season-high 22 points on 19 total field goals and just one 3-point attempt, said as shots weren’t falling, the Orange grew stagnant. He added that Syracuse “allowed” the Tar Heels to take it out of an offensive rhythm, ultimately leading to its downfall.
Despite making 1-of-8 attempts from 3 in the first 20 minutes, SU trailed by just five as its defense stood tall. Then, when North Carolina caught fire and shot over 60% in the second half, the Orange didn’t have an answer.
Postgame, Autry said as SU’s poor shooting continued, the Tar Heels packed inside the arc to force difficult 2-pointers. He pointed out that the Orange’s offensive philosophy, if they have one, involves plenty of ball screens and rolling to the basket. The tasks became even more difficult as shots didn’t fall.
Though, as Autry peered at the scoresheet following another double-digit loss, he found an easy answer. Betsey made all three 3s. Sophomore Donnie Freeman went 0-for-3 from deep. Kingz went 0-for-2. Naithan George was 0-for-5.
“It’s reality. Donnie Freeman, if he struggles, and Nait George, Nate Kingz, those guys struggle, that’s going to be tough for us to make 3s,” Autry said.
The Orange haven’t shot well from deep all year. Saturday reached its ugliest point.
